Pretoria – The Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court has convicted Michael Chimanzi, Nwabisa Ngxola and Cinderella Moropane for defrauding Eskom of R2.6 million.
Hawks spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, said the crime was committed between 2013 and 2019, when fraudulent invoices were submitted to the embattled power for services that were never rendered.
Chimanzi has been in custody since his arrest in April in 2019. He handed himself over to the police after his details were published as a wanted person.
Moropane and Ngxola were released on bail, however, their bail was revoked after they were found guilty and they have been remanded in custody.
The case against the trio was postponed to January 23, 2023 for sentencing.
In the same court, a deputy director of property management at the Department of Public Works in Mpumalanga, appeared with his two co-accused over R4.2m corruption.
Sifiso Kobus Mkhabela, 42, and his co-accused, the director of Ntando MS Trading, Andiswa Dibakoane, 23, and the director of Ligcabo Properties, Bongani Lukhele, 45, have been charged with money laundering, fraud and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act.
They were released on R15 000 bail each.
Their case was postponed to January 19, 2023 for further investigation.
Sekgotodi said the trio will be joined with the other six suspects who were arrested in September 2022.
IOL